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FEWEEK.CO.UK | MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2016 | EDITION 178Award-winning journalism from the only newspaper dedicated to further education and skills

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brathay challenge apprentice winners

‘Inadequate’ colleges double-digit disaster

See page 17

FE judgement on new ofsted boss

English and maths policy the major and ‘unfair’ issue, says AoC

> Ofsted grade fours dished out to 10 colleges since September

>See exclusive investigation on page 6JUDE BURKE @JUDEBURKE77

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NEWSOfqual boss Amanda Spielman to take the helm at Ofsted

The current chair of Ofqual, Amanda Spielman (pictured), has been appointed the new chief inspector of Ofsted, the education secretary Nicky Morgan has confirmed.

Ms Morgan made the announcement on Friday (June 10), and ministers will now wait on agreement from the Commons education select committee for final approval.

The Department for Education (DfE) also told FE Week that it had started recruiting for three new Ofsted board members and “the advert for the roles listed FE experience as one of the desirable criteria”.

Martin Doel, chief executive of the Association of Colleges welcomed the news, and said: “We offer our congratulations to Amanda Spielman.

“This will be a new era for Ofsted and we look forward to working with her in the future and helping her to gain an understanding of colleges and a sector that she has not worked closely with in the past.

“We are also interested in how the Ofsted board, that supports the new chief inspector, might be refreshed in order to ensure that it has more substantive further education expertise than is currently the case.”

Mr Doel has been scathing of the current

chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw, who told MPs in March that he believed 16- to 19-year-olds should be taught in schools rather than colleges, and that the FE sector was “in a mess”.

Sir Michael’s comments, made during an appearance before the Commons Education Select Committee, provoked widespread anger across the FE sector.

The education secretary said: “From helping to set up one of the country’s top academy chains, to acting as a council member for the

Institute of Education, to overseeing our ambitious qualification

reform programme, Amanda has extensive experience

at the frontline of the education system. I know she is the right person to deliver.”

Current Learning and Work Institute boss

David Hughes, who will start as chief executive of the

Association of Colleges at the start of 2016/17, also welcomed Ms

Spielman’s appointment.He said: “Ofsted needs someone who can

lead a large organisation and be independent on policy issues – which I think Amanda has shown well as chair of Ofqual.”

Mark Dawe, the chief exec of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, added: “I found it easy to have very constructive discussions with Amanda when she chaired Ofqual, so I look forward to working with

her in her new role.“There is a good and honest dialogue

between Ofsted and AELP on how the delivery of work-based learning is inspected, and we hope that this will continue under Amanda’s leadership.”

The Commons education select committee will now hold a “pre-appointment hearing” with Ms Spielman, on June 29 June.

Its chair Neil Carmichael MP said: “The chief inspector has an important duty in raising standards in education and skills. We want to make sure that the government’s preferred candidate has the necessary independence, skills and experience to be effective.”

Ms Joseph and Mr Walker’s resignations come while the college remains stuck in administered status, following a visit from the FE Commissioner last September.

The college was issued a financial notice of concern in March 2013, but Dr

David Collins’ intervention was prompted after the

Skills Funding Agency said it had additional concerns over the college’s financial controls.

Dr Collins’ report highlighted a series

of problems including falling student numbers, as

well as “pressures on its main funding streams, weak leadership

and management and poor financial management”.

He found that “relationships between the interim executive team and the governing body are not strong, and could still be considered to be in a development phase”.

He continued: “For this reason it is felt that the college should not be left to manage its own future, and should be put into administered status.”

Dr Collins also advised that the college’s “longer term prospects” would be best served by merging with another college.

When Dr Collins’ report was published in December, Mr Adenaike told FE Week that

The chair and vice-chair of troubled Amersham and Wycombe College have both stepped down – but the college is refusing to say why.

Jenese Joseph (pictured) was appointed chair of the college’s governing body in May 2014, but her name is now no longer listed on the college’s website, and nor is that of the former vice-chair Andrew Walker.

A spokesperson for the college confirmed that the pair had resigned, but was tight-lipped on the reason for their departure.

Ms Joseph confirmed to FE Week that she had resigned from her position, but also declined to give a reason for her decision.

She did reveal, however, that the college’s interim principal, Felix Adenaike (pictured right), had been put on “extended leave”.

The college would not be drawn on the fate of Mr Adenaike, telling FE Week: “We are unable to comment on internal staffing matters.”

Mr Adenaike was deputy principal at the college until he was appointed to the post of interim principal following the departure of Mark Sellis in March last year.

Top two at Amersham and Wycombe College quitthe college was “working actively with the funding agencies and the FE Commissioner to secure the improvements we need in the quality of our provision and finances; and the structural change that will lead to a stronger local provision for our stakeholders”.

“The governors and staff of the college are very much focussed on achieving these aims,” he added.

The college received a grade three overall – ‘requires improvement’ – rating in its most recent Ofsted report, published December 2014.

FE Week understands that Ofsted inspectors have recently revisited the college.

Amersham and Wycombe College is involved in the Thames Valley area review, part of wave two of the area review process, which had its first steering group meeting on January 21.

PAUL OFFORD@PAULOFFORD

Amanda Spielman’s CV:July 2011 – Chair, OfqualJune 2011 – Education advisor, Ark2005 – 2012 Research and policy director, Ark2002 – 2004 Consultant

1996 – 2000 Strategy director, Nomura International1995 – 1996 Principal, Mercer Management Consulting (Boston)

1993 – 1995, Director, Bridgewater Business Analysis

1986 – 1992, Manager in corporate finance, Kleinwort Benson1982 – 1986, Accountant, KPMG UK (formerly KMG Thomson McLintock)

JUDE BURKE@JUDEBURKE77

3FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 178 MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2016

NEWS

costly for the government.”BIS declined to comment directly on the

NAO move, but referred FE Week back to a statement released by the government justifying the closure in May.

In it, the department insisted that the move would “involve basing all policy roles in London by 2018 and closing the St Paul’s Place office in Sheffield”.

It added: “The decision was made by the permanent secretary and his executive board following consideration of alternative options and consultation with staff and the departmental trade unions, which ended on May 2.

“Everyone affected will be able to stay in

post in their current location until January 2018 and if they choose to take up a post in London there will be financial assistance for travel available for the first three years.

“More than 80 per cent of BIS staff will still be based outside the capital.”

Permanent secretary Martin Donnelly said: “Creating one policy centre in London and closing the BIS office in Sheffield in 2018 is a decision that has not been made lightly. It remains our top priority that staff are fully supported and briefed on what this means for them and their options.

“We have talked and listened to staff and unions. Making a decision which impacts on people’s lives and families is never easy.”

which has been done in consultation with the PCS union and our staff.”

She added: “This process is not a cost-saving operation.

“PCS and staff have been engaged throughout the restructuring process, and as part of the process, Mr Lauener and senior managers have met PCS officials regularly.”

It is understood that many of the unhappy staff at the SFA had been expecting to be transferred onto a senior, grade seven pay-band, through changes introduced since April, but have ended up on a lower level.

The union spokesperson told FE Week after the meeting: “Mr Lauener listened to our concerns and we are now waiting for him to come back to us with a response.

“There is a lot of strong feeling about this among staff and we could be looking at industrial action, including a possible strike.”

The boss of the Skills Funding Agency, Peter Lauener, has met with union officials amid concern that staff anger over pay grade changes could lead to strike action.

FE Week understands recent moves to transfer SFA employees — who had previously been paid according to the agency’s own gradings — over to general civil service salary bands have stirred up a huge amount of resentment.

A Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) spokesperson said it had left “many people feeling their role has been downgraded”, and raised concern about what affect this would have on future pay rises.

The union has already started consulting on industrial action, which could include possible strikes, and Mr Lauener met with officials on June 9 in an attempt to rebuild bridges.

A spokesperson for the agency said: “The SFA currently has a unique job grading structure.

“As we are now an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, we are aligning with civil service grades used across government, a process

The National Audit Office is to investigate the government’s decision to close BIS’ Sheffield office. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills confirmed last month that it will definitely close the office — which could lead to around 250 civil servants with expertise in the FE sector losing their jobs — as part of plans to create a combined London headquarters and policy centre.

BIS claims the move would help save £350m, amid wider plans to modernise the department by 2020, but the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has disputed this figure, in light of a leaked government document, as reported on by FE Week in April.

The document suggested that the move could actually end up costing BIS £100,000 a year. Although the move would produce potential savings of £1.5m through rent, rates and maintenance, rail travel, and hotel stays, additional salary costs associated with London could run to £1.6m per annum.

The NAO has now confirmed to FE Week that it will probe the Sheffield decision, as part of a wider inquiry.

A spokesperson said: “We will be looking at the implementation of the early stages of the BIS 2020 programme. This is an

examination of the overall 2020 programme of which the Sheffield decision is a part.

“The study, subject to further scoping work, is likely to include the planning, analysis and oversight of the programme.”

Lois Austin, the PCS full-time official for BIS, who covers the Sheffield office, said was delighted by the decision.

She said: “It’s really good news. We definitely think it will be good if the NAO checks out the government figures, which we find hard to believe. Our members are not giving up on this.

“We have already resorted to strike action and will continue to press the case that this closure would actually be far more

NAO will investigate BIS decision to close Sheffield office

SFA BOSS SCRAMBLES TO AVERT STRIKE ACTION OVER PAY CHANGES

PAUL OFFORD @PAULOFFORDJUDE BURKE @JUDEBURKE77

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PCS protesters


Lincoln College retracts non-pay threat to agency staff

Half apprenticeship assessment orgs unregulated by Ofqual

A college has gone back on its “threat” not to pay part-time agency staff over delayed student assessment work — after FE Week made senior leaders aware of the dispute.

Twelve self-employed agency workers from FE Resources, a “sub-company” of Lincoln College, received an initial email on June 7 telling them they wouldn’t be paid until additional work had been completed.

The email complained that student assessments had not been “completed, marked and tracked to schedule”, and warned that the college would not authorise their May timesheets “until your respective learning skills leads have identified that [they] are up-to-date in relation to marking and tracking”.

George Reid, a public services lecturer who received the email and has worked with the college for eight years as an agency worker, alerted FE Week to the upset it had caused him and others.

A college spokesperson said on Monday (June 13) that senior managers had not been aware of the “unauthorised” email.

He said: “Although well intentioned and motivated by improving learner outcomes, this email communication to a small number of staff did not reflect appropriate action in terms of managing performance. The email was not authorised by the senior management team.

“Payment will be processed without delay and the issue of incomplete student assessments will be picked up through our recognised performance management channels.”

The initial “unauthorised” email complained that “there are cases where student progress cannot be accurately established at this point as assessments haven’t been completed, marked and tracked to schedule.

“It is imperative that student assessment work is marked and tracked as a matter of urgency at this point.”

It stressed that the warning over non-

payment for May was not designed to be “threatening or to scaremonger”.

But Mr Reid told FE Week that he disagreed.He said: “I’m really upset and disappointed

by the email because this job is my livelihood.“I have two young children and potentially

losing out on that money was going to have a drastic effect on my finances for the next three months.”

Mr Reid added it was “out of order” given the “threat” was only made to agency workers, not full-time employees.

He said: “It is totally unfair that we are being treated differently to full-time staff. It is picking on agency staff, and if you kick off

then you won’t get any agency work next year.“We’ve been treated really poorly. I go out of

my way to help and put the extra effort in and yet all what happens is you get threatened.”

Sue Davis, a University and College Union regional official, said she was “not surprised” that “such an appalling incident” had occurred, when staff were “stuck on casual and insecure contracts”.

She added: “These staff find themselves in a hire and fire culture more associated with Sports Direct than an education system.

“College staff should be on permanent contracts to allow them to plan their lives properly and be treated with respect at work.”

Concerns have been raised over apprentice assessment organisations (AAOs) for apprenticeship standards — after it emerged that half of those approved so far are not regulated by Ofqual.

Only three AAOs have been approved by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), which first began accepting submissions to the new register of apprenticeship assessment organisations (RoAAO) in March, in the last three months — taking the total up to just 16.

Stephen Wright (pictured) , the chief executive of the Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB), told FE Week that 50 per cent of AAOs are not regulated by Ofqual — including the likes of the British Institute for Non-Destructive Testing, BT PLC, Energy & Utility Skills Ltd, Leicester College, and Training 2000 Ltd.

He insisted that this is a major concern, saying: “We will be letting the learners down if the apprenticeship is not assessed to the same level of validity, and valued to the same extent as any other high-stakes qualification.”

Mr Wright said he was concerned about the slow progress of the RoAAO tendering process.

Analysis by FE Week of figures released in February revealed that 13 AAOs had been approved, but updated figures released this month have shown that despite 108 apprenticeship standards being open to new starts — just 32 (30 per cent) have 16 AAOs

assigned to them.And 20 out of those 32 only have one AAO to

choose from, again raising issues around lack of choice for employers.

Mr Wright said: “We are concerned with the number of AAOs being approved; there are still many standards without an assessment organisation and many others

with only one.“Our concern is that potential assessment

organisations are put off by the difficulty of conducting the assessments. For example, a number of the assessment strategies require panels of experts to observe individual learners.”

The government has decided that

Ofqual, otherwise known as the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, does not necessarily have to monitor the new apprenticeship standards.

This is a departure from the key role it plays in overseeing traditional qualifications.

Last September, Ofqual’s executive director for vocational qualifications, Jeremy Benson, told FE Week: “We have said we will be happy to regulate the end-point assessments as qualifications [for new standards] if that’s what they want us to do.

“There are other alternatives available and we are obviously going to be interested to see what decisions the government makes over the next few weeks and months in terms of how the quality assurance regime for the new apprenticeships is going to work.”

Despite the slow nature of the approval of standards and AAOs, the government is keen for more people to do them, with growth requests being offered to colleges and training providers for the delivery of any of the new apprenticeship standards.

But of the 16 approved AAOs, not all are even open for business.

BT was approved in September last year for the digital industries standard, but said in April it had no immediate plans to carry out assessments.

An SFA spokesperson said: “We review all applications we receive from the organisations who choose to apply.

“Any organisation that considers itself suitable to conduct end-point assessment can choose to apply.”

NEWS

BILLY CAMDEN@Billycamden

BILLY CAMDEN@Billycamden

Lincoln College


NEWSREBRAND TRAINEESHIPS AND SORT OUT THEIR FUNDING, STAKEHOLDERS SAY

Jessica Rexworthy, head of learning and skills at charity and employer Fair Train, said: “The majority of learners and their parents/carers don’t know what a traineeship is.

“The push on marketing campaigns for apprenticeships should be opened up to include traineeships.”

The survey covered a number of issues around traineeships, and received responses from 204 FE Week readers from a range of backgrounds, including independent training providers, colleges, local councils and charities.

Funding proved a topic that respondents were particularly concerned about, with 80 per cent saying the government should create a single funding pot for traineeships, as they have done for apprenticeships.

A further 71 per cent answered that different funding arrangements from the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) make traineeship funding overly complex.

Jim Clarke, chief executive of Key Recruitment and Training, said: “We can only receive funding from the EFA pot which is highly restrictive in growth.

“The SFA continues to fund 16-18 without

growth restrictions. However, the EFA funding is far better for cashflow.”

The survey also asked participants whether they thought it was a good idea to devolve the funding decisions for traineeships for 19- to 23-year-olds as part of the Adult Education Budget, but only 26 per cent agreed with the suggestion.

In response, a government spokesperson concentrated on funding.

He said: “Traineeships is a programme for 16- to 24-year-olds that spans two different departments’ funding arrangements.

“The funding arrangements are in line with the wider funding approach for each age group 16-18 and 19+.

“By fitting traineeships within the existing arrangements it actually simplifies administration and data requirements.”subsistence costs incurred on UKCES

business” – raising questions over the £15,000 salary offered by the Institute.

FE Week also why the advert stresses that “this post is NOT regulated by The Commissioner for Public Appointments”.

The spokesperson said: “We will be following an Office for the Commissioner of Public Appointments compliant process for the board.

“This is the process followed for all public appointments to ensure that they are based on principles of merit, openness and fairness.”

The spokesperson also confirmed that the position of permanent chair for the IfA this would be advertised “in due course”, following the appointment of former Barclays chief executive Anthony Jenkins as the shadow chair on June 9.

She declined to say what the chair would be paid, but confirmed that the post will be regulated by the CPA.

FE Week put these points to Mark A’Bear, an expert who holds an MBE for school governance.

He said: “Today in schools and colleges, governors are completely voluntary and I would say that they already commit probably more than two days per month to their role.

“To pay somebody to undertake a role like this could well attract the wrong type of people and drive the wrong behaviour.”

He added: “It’s the softer aspects of a skillset that determine whether a governing body is successful and effective; if you just pluck people out of industry without the right motivation or any understanding of the education sector they could actually do more harm than good.”

The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills is recruiting eight board members for the new Institute for Apprenticeships, with a salary of up to £15,000 available for each position.

The advert has been posted on the cabinet office’s public appointment’ site, with a closing date of July 20. Interviews scheduled for September.

The jobs will be based in London, and successful applicants will be required to commit two days per month to “contribute across a range of the Institute’s strategic and governance issues”.

It calls for applications from “senior figures with expertise in business, employer representatives, academics, and other senior representatives with expertise in particular aspects of apprenticeships and skills”.

The IfA’s responsibilities will include approving standards and assessment plans, and determining the level of government funding available for the standards.

Board members will act as the Institute’s governing body.

FE Week asked the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how the roles at IfA would compare to the work of board members do for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), which, according to the Treasury, will cease its work from 2016/17 when the Institute is fully functional.

A spokesperson said that, in terms of remuneration for their roles, the UKCES board members are “eligible to claim an allowance of £4,000 plus travel and

There is widespread support for renaming the government’s traineeships scheme, according to a new FE Week survey, which found that over half of respondents wanted it to called a ‘pre-apprenticeship’ or ‘access to apprenticeship’ scheme.

A total of 70 per cent of FE stakeholders we surveyed said traineeships should be renamed, with 29 per cent favouring the ‘pre-apprenticeship’ label, and 25 per cent choosing ‘access to apprenticeships’.

However, only 16 per cent of respondents supported the idea of creating a whole new pre-apprenticeship programme in addition to the existing traineeships scheme.

Judy Taylor, apprenticeship manager at Southend Adult Community College said of a potential rebrand: “’Pre-apprenticeship’ clearly promotes the pathway to apprenticeship, and gives value and purpose to a traineeship, rather than just completing a programme with no specific end point.”

The survey results come after FE Week exposed severe weaknesses in the progression

rate from traineeships to apprenticeships on June 3.

Figures obtained by FE Week through a freedom of information request revealed that just 450 (nine per cent) of 19- to 24-year-olds who finished traineeships in 2014/15 went on to start an apprenticeship, out of 5,200 completions.

The figure was slightly higher for under-19s — with 2,280 (31 per cent) of 7,400 completions progressing — but this still means that overall progression to apprenticeships stands at just 22 per cent.

Concern about poor progression onto apprenticeships was also reflected in the results of the survey, with 78 per cent of respondents agreeing that they saw it as a problem.

Shadow skills minister Gordon Marsden raised the issue at an FE Week parliamentary debate on June 7, where he also criticised the government for failing to raise awareness of the traineeships scheme.

Our survey results supported this — with only nine per cent of respondents saying they felt the government had done enough to promote the programme.

BIS ADVERTISES EIGHT INSTITUTE FOR APPRENTICESHIPS BOARD SEATS – AT £15,000 PER ANNUM

As consultants in The Inclusion Circle we aim to work regionally, and to share and promote good practice across the country. Our network will consist of consultants who have current, specialist knowledge, and who

share the aims of our Circle.

The following three lead consultants are currently available for commissions:

ELAINE CLINTON JOYCE DEERE MARGARET HOBSON

Announcing the launch of The Inclusion Circle – a network of independent consultants in the FE Sector. We have previously worked for Ofsted for many years, and all have substantial

specialist experience of provision for students with high needs in all post-16 remits.

Our focus as consultants is on the improvement of provision, and on the fostering of good practice: we want all students with high needs to have the best possible educational experience wherever they learn.

We believe this means building on the unique abilities and potential of each student in preparation for the transition to an agreed destination.

The requirement for all students with high needs to have an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) provides an ideal opportunity to ensure high quality provision in all locations. With reference to the Special Educational

Needs Code of Practice (2015), based on the Children and Families Act 2014, we can provide a range of individually tailored guidance, mentoring and support, to include the following:

[email protected] www.theinclusioncircle.com

TheInclusion CircleImproving Further Education Provision for Students with High Needs

Afull review

of provision

Developing new provision

for studentswith high

needsImproving the qualityof teaching, learning and

assesment

Improving the effectiveness of recording and

monitoringof progress

Improving the quality of

specialist support,and upskilling

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Improving the quality of

leadership andmanagement, in particular safeguarding

The Inclusion Circle FE Week_PRINT.indd 1 15/06/2016 14:52

ALIX ROBERTSON@ALIXROBERTSON4

ALIX ROBERTSON@ALIXROBERTSON4

Response Percent

Response Count

29% 5925% 517% 149% 1827% 544% 8

204

Yes - to entry to apprenticeships

Should traineeships be renamed?

Don't know

Yes - to access to apprenticeships

TOTAL

No

Yes - to pre-apprenticeships

Yes (please suggest an alternative name)

Yes - to entry to apprenticeships

Don't know

Yes - to access to apprenticeships

No

Yes - to pre-apprenticeships

Yes (please suggest an alternative name)


CollegeFirst day of inspection Grade

Previous grade Ofsted summary of key findings said:

Telford College of Arts and Technology 03/05/2016 4 2

Too few learners aged 16 to 18 who retake their English or mathematics GCSE, and too few adults who retake English GCSE, achieve an A* to C grade.

Stafford College 09/02/2016 4 3Strategies introduced by the previous leadership team to improve English and mathematics provision have been largely ineffective.

City of Bristol College 26/01/2016 4 3The teaching of English and mathematics is not good enough, with a very low proportion of learners successfully achieving qualifications in these subjects.

Mid-Cheshire College of Further Education 19/01/2016 4 1

Success rates in English and mathematics for 16 to 19 year olds, and the development of learners’ English and mathematics skills are poor.

North Shropshire College 26/01/2016 4 3Too few learners aged 16 to 19 who retake GCSE maths or English successfully achieve an A* to C grade.

Greenwich Community College 19/01/2016 4 4

The quality of provision in mathematics and English is inadequate and the proportion of learners gaining qualifications in these subjects is low.

City College Coventry 24/11/2015 4 3The proportion of learners on 16 to 19 study programmes who develop good skills in English and mathematics remains too low.

Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College 13/10/2015 4 3

In English and mathematics, too few learners achieve a grade C or better in GCSE qualifications, and too few learners and apprentices pass functional skills qualifications.

West Cheshire College 22/09/2015 4 3Teachers do not develop students’ skills in English and mathematics well enough.

Stanmore College 22/09/2015 4 3The proportion of learners who achieve the qualifications that they need in English and mathematics is unacceptably low.

NEWS

colleges grade 4 double-digit disaster The number of FE colleges to have been branded ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted since September has hit double figures, exclusive FE Week analysis has revealed.

College leaders have blamed the government’s increased focus on English and maths, pinning what they call “unfair” expectations on colleges for the rise in grade fours.

Ten colleges have now been handed the lowest possible grade from the education watchdog since the introduction of the new common inspection framework in September, compared to five in the same period last year.

The most recent of these was Telford College of Arts and Technology (TCAT), which had its Ofsted report published on Tuesday (June 14).

All 10 colleges were slammed by inspectors for their English and maths provision, with criticism in these areas appearing in the key findings on all 10 reports.

When shown FE Week’s figures, Gill Clipson (pictured), deputy chief executive of the Association of Colleges said: “It is unfair to expect colleges to help young people achieve the necessary grade C in GCSE English and maths in one year, when they have not been successful after 11 years in school.”

She added that “it is expected” Ofsted would focus on English and maths as improving standards in these areas “is a key government policy”.

“The colleges that do well in inspections are those that can prove that their students, regardless of their starting point, have progressed during their studies,” she continued.

David Russell, chief executive of the Education and Training Foundation, agreed that Ofsted was “placing more emphasis on maths and English in the 16-to-19 phase”.

“It is a huge government priority, and an area where colleges have a massive challenge,” he said.

“Ofsted has no alternative but to say what they see; and in our view many colleges are under-resourced in key ways to deliver the high expectations that government rightly has of them,” he continued.

Mr Russell said that, while funding was an issue, “the bigger challenge is recruiting, training and retaining enough teachers with the right skills and experience to teach maths and English to young people who have not yet succeeded in them”.

Mark Dawe, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, also criticised Ofsted’s inspection methods of maths and English within traineeships.

He complained about providers “being given ‘required to improve’ gradings by Ofsted based solely on English and maths outcomes, as Ofsted is not willing to accept destination data as robust evidence”.

Since 2013, colleges have been required to enrol all learners who don’t already have at least a grade C in English and maths on courses in these subjects.

The requirement is part of the study programmes, which were introduced following a recommendation by Professor Alison Wolf in her 2011 review of vocational education, the Wolf Report.

FE Week’s analysis also

showed that four colleges had lost their top grade since September – including

Accrington and Rossendale College, which dropped to grade three on

Tuesday (June 14).The quality of English and

maths provision is an issue for three out of those four colleges.

This comes at a bad time for FE, after chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw caused uproar in the

sector when he told MPs he believed

16 to 19-year-olds should be taught in schools, not

colleges.

The unrepentant Ofsted boss is likely to feel that these grade fours vindicate his comments to the Commons education select committee in March, when he said the FE sector was “in a mess — that’s why the government is reviewing it”.

There have so far been 51 full inspections of general FE colleges since September, a rise of 13 on the same period last year.

Of these, 20 colleges have been rated ‘good’ – an increase of seven from this time last year.

TCAT’s interim principal Jo Lomax said the college was “extremely disappointed” by its inadequate grading.

Accrington and Rossendale’s principal Sue Taylor told FE Week: “We accept the outcome of Ofsted’s visit”.


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of modern apprenticeships.”The new report came on the same day that

the House of Lords debated its digital skills select committee report, Make or Break: The UK’s Digital Future, which was published in February last year.

During the debate, a number of peers reiterated a recommendation from the report, that vocational qualifications must to be made more responsive to the needs of business.

Lord Knight of Weymouth, who is also chair of digital inclusion charity the Tinder Foundation, called for “much more agility in the skills system”.

He said: “Increasingly we will need

“emphasise the need for more digital skills components in all apprenticeships, not just ‘digital apprenticeships’, to gear them to the needs for jobs across the economy” and “make digital skills the focus of its three million apprenticeship target”.

Nicola Blackwood MP, the chair of the science and technology select committee, urged the government to take “concerted action” to ensure “tomorrow’s workforce” has “the digital skills that employers need”.

She said: “The government deserves credit for action taken so far but it needs to go much further and faster.

“We need action on visas, vocational training and putting digital skills at the heart

The government should work with the FE sector to create a network of digital skills colleges across the country, a group of MPs has said.

This is one of a number of recommendations made by the Commons science and technology select committee in its Digital Skills Crisis report, published on Monday (June 13), based on the findings of a recent inquiry into what needs to be done to overcome the digital skills gap in the workplace, education and apprenticeships.

The proposed new digital colleges should “replicate the National College for Digital Skills model across the country”, the report said.

The National College for Digital Skills is one of new five employer-lead colleges to receive government funding to boost specialist skills for certain industries. It is due to launch in September.

The report also called for digital skills to be made one of the core components of all apprenticeships – not just digital apprenticeships.

The MPs cited evidence from the Tech Partnership — which has developed a number of new Trailblazer standards in digital skills — that the number of starts on digital degree apprenticeships had increased by 21 per cent in 2014/15, to 17,000.

But they said the government should

It’s time to create national digital skills colleges, MPs sayJUDE BURKE@JUDEBURKE77

employers to credential skills because we cannot wait for our cumbersome qualification system to keep up.”

And Lady Morgan (pictured), chair of the digital skills committee, said that current vocational qualifications “are not necessarily what business wants, nor are they fully understood by business”.

She urged the government to publish its digital skills strategy, which was due out earlier this year but which has not yet appeared.

Such a strategy should “include full details of soft infrastructure — education and skills — as well as hard infrastructure”, she said.


All agreed in Somerset college merger – except for the name

Two colleges in Somerset have completed a merger — but still appear to be struggling to agree on a new name.

Somerset College and Bridgwater College officially became a single body on Tuesday (June 14).

But a joint statement indicated that co-operation between them could still be improved upon – as no new name had been agreed.

A spokesperson for the colleges did not say why the newly merged institution had no name, or whether it had submitted any options to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) for approval.

The two colleges would continue under their existing names “for the next few months”, the spokesperson confirmed.

A BIS spokesperson would only say that the department had “no update at this stage”.

Mike Robbins, principal-designate of the new institution and the current Bridgwater College principal, said: “This merger is an important step for further and higher

education in Somerset.”Somerset College had already been

developing plans to merge with nearby Bridgwater College when the FE Commissioner, Dr David Collins, was called into the college over financial concerns last July.

His only recommendation was that the merger plans should be supported.

Confirmation of the formal merger comes ahead of the Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly area review, which is due to start in November.

Three more college link-ups have also emerged, in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Kent.

One of these is between Accrington and Rossendale College, and Burnley College – both in Lancashire.

The region is part of the fourth wave of area reviews, with a proposed start date of September.

Accrington and Rossendale College saw its Ofsted rating drop this week from ‘outstanding’ to ‘requires improvement’, following its first inspection since 2009.

Burnley College was rated ‘outstanding’ at its most recent inspection in 2009.

A representative of Accrington and Rossendale confirmed the two colleges were in talks.

“In line with many colleges in Lancashire, Burnley College and Accrington and Rossendale College are discussing the possibility of collaboration,” he said.

“This is aligned with government strategic direction and the national area review process for further education colleges.”

Canterbury College and East Kent College have also announced a partnership that would see the two colleges led by a single principal.

Graham Razey, East Kent’s principal, will take over the reins in Canterbury following the retirement of current principal Alison Clarke at the end of July.

Both colleges are in Kent, which is part of an area review due to start in November.

Beverley Aitken, East Kent’s chair, described her college’s relationship with Canterbury as “productive”.

She added: “We are confident that we will demonstrate that by working more closely

together, we can deliver the most effective education for the benefit of our students.”

Colin Carmichael, the chair of Canterbury College, said: “This closer partnership with East Kent is an obvious decision for us to make.”

Meanwhile, it has been reported in local media that Barnsley College has approved a merger proposal with Doncaster College.

Both colleges are part of the ongoing Sheffield area review.

Paul Pascoe, Doncaster College’s chair, said no decision had yet been made by the college.

A spokesperson for Barnsley College said it would not be issuing a statement until after the next area review steering group meeting, due on June 16.

NEWS

arising from the review”, the guidance said.SFCs have the option to convert either as

a standalone academy (SAT), or as a MAT – either by joining an existing MAT or setting up a new one.

Mr Kewin told FE Week that it was “too early to say” how many SFCs would be setting up a MAT.

He said: “In terms of the detail of whether that’s a MAT or a SAT, or whether it’s with schools, you have to give an indication of that through the area review process, but there’s an additional process you have to go through about actually applying.”

But he said most SFCs that decide to

academise would “probably look at” the option of setting up a MAT.

He said the advantages of that option were twofold: “Firstly you’re establishing it on your terms and secondly you’ve got scope then for other institutions to join you over a period of time.”

Mr Kewin said the SFCA gathered the information on registrations of interest from discussions with members.

As previously reported by FE Week, East Norfolk SFC, Lowestoft SFC and Paston SFC – all part of last year’s pilot area review in north east Norfolk and north Suffolk – are in talks about forming a MAT in the future.

colleges that they share the same vision, ethos and values, so when I learned about MATs, I immediately thought this would be a perfect fit.”

The chancellor George Osborne announced in November that SFCs would be able to convert to academy status which would allow them to no longer have to pay VAT.

Guidance published by the Department for Education in February said that academisation would only be available to SFCs as part of the area review process.

Applications for academisation would be judged “alongside other recommendations

Almost two thirds of sixth form colleges have registered an interest in converting to an academy, FE Week can exclusively reveal.

Around 60 of the country’s 93 SFCs have taken this first step, according to James Kewin, deputy chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association.

Registering an interest with the Education and Skills Funding Agencies is the first stage in the process of converting to an academy.

The news comes after two SFCs in Hampshire unveiled plans on June 9 to set up a multi-academy trust (MAT).

Richard Taunton SFC in Southampton, and St Vincent College in Gosport, announced a new “working partnership” between the two, with a view to launching the new MAT by September 2017.

Both SFCs are part of the Solent area review, which has yet to publish its final recommendations.

Richard Taunton principal Alice Wrighton said: “We are really excited about this opportunity.

“As we are the first colleges in the South to set out to develop an SFC MAT framework, we will be defining our own unique working model.”

Matt Atkinson, the St Vincent’s principal, who formerly held the top job at Richard Taunton, said: “I know from my roles at both

Nearly two thirds of sixth form colleges consider acadamisation



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College principals snubbed as governors and an independent training boss take limelight

Principals of general FE colleges in England have been snubbed in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours – with FE governors and independent training provider boss John Hyde taking the limelight.

Executive chairman of HIT Training and regular FE Week columnist Mr Hyde was given a CBE, as was Lincoln College chair of governors Margaret Serna.

The only other person with close links to the sector to receive the high-ranking medal was interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Malcolm Trobe.

This was the first time since FE Week was launched in 2011 that no general FE college

principals in England have been named in an honours list.

Mr Hyde said: “I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of all my staff at HIT and other colleagues working to deliver apprenticeships and upskill the country.

“The satisfaction for me is seeing employees in the hotel and catering sector gain skills, confidence and competence through their apprenticeship to improve their life chances and earning potential.”

His award came as recognition of his services to the FE and training sectors in a career that has lasted more than 30 years, most recently at HIT.

He co-founded the hospitality and care sector training and apprenticeship provider rated good by Ofsted last year — alongside managing

director Jill Whittaker, in 2006.Ms Serna’s CBE was for services to FE.She told FE Week: “I am deeply honoured

and very proud that I am being recognised for a role that I consider it a privilege to be able to undertake.

“I have been a board member for eight years and chair for five years now and have found working towards enriching the lives of young people through training and education a deeply rewarding and life enhancing experience.”

Mr Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, received his CBE for services to education.

He told FE Week: “I am delighted to have received this honour both personally and in terms of the recognition it gives to ASCL’s work in representing the voice of school and

college leaders across the UK.”Josie Teasdale (known professionally

as Josie Thirkell), lately chair at Barnsley College, and Mark White, chair designate of Stockton Riverside College and chair of the Association of Colleges’ Governors Council received OBEs.

Keith Brown, College of North East London chair, got an MBE.

This year’s birthday honours list also includes recognition for 11 heads of schools, academies or multi-academy trusts, along with two sixth form college principals.

The lack of recognition for general FE college principals is in marked contrast to last year’s birthday honours which saw the principal of City and Islington College, Frank McLoughlin, receive a knighthood.


FEATURE

Here’s our list of FE and skills-related people who have been recognised:

FE HIGH ACHIEVERS RECOGNISED IN QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST

MBE’s

CBECBE

CBEJOHN ALLAN HYDE

executive chairman,

Hospitality Industry Training – for services to the

FE and training sectors

MARGARET JOAN SERNA

chair, Lincoln College and

managing director, Thames Group (UK) Ltd – for services to FE

MALCOLM JAMES TROBE

interim general secretary, The

Association of School and

College Leaders – for services to

education

OBEOBE

OBEROBERTA ANN MCCLELLAND

deputy director, reforming

FE provision, Department for

Business, Innovation and Skills –

for services to FE and vocational

education

ALISON MARGARET

BOULTONlately chief executive,

Association of National Specialist Colleges – for services

to education

ANTHONY GERARD LARKIN

lately director of business and enterprise,

Royal National College for the Blind – for services to FE and

disability sport

OBEOBE

OBEMARK WHITE

Chair Designate,

Stockton Riverside College,

for services to education

particularly in Teesside.

SIMON PAUL BLAGDEN

MBE Chairman, Fujitsu

UK – for services to the

economy and skills

ENID JOSIE TEASDALE

(THIRKELL) lately chair of governors,

Barnsley College – for services to education in

South Yorkshire

OBEOBE

OBEOLUSEYI OLUYEMI (SEYI)

OBAKINchief executive,

Centrepoint, commissioner, UK Commission for Employment and Skills – for services to youth skills,

employment and homelessness

JULIAN CHARLES

APPLEYARDprincipal, Rochdale Sixth

Form College, Lancashire –

for services to education

PAULINE HAGEN

principal, North

East Wakefield College,

Pontefract – for services to

educationPho

to: H

arri

et A

rmst

rong

KEITH CHARLES BROWN

chair, College of North East London – for services to FE

ANDREW PAUL MORRIS

Teacher, Westcroft Sports and Applied Learning College and founder, Timken

Vocational Training Centre and Sunbeam Enterprises – for services to special education.

SALLY ANNE EVANS

co-founder, Trinity Specialist College, Birmingham – for services to education

CHRISTIAN JAMES NOTLEY

UK Training Manager, Worldskills – for services to the World Skills Competitions in

Leipzig 2013 and Sao Paulo 2015.

SALLY ANN OBERTELL

director of marketing, relationships and communications, John Ruskin College,

South Croydon – for services to Education

JENNIFER JOHNSON

chief executive officer, Kids Allowed – for services to apprenticeships


Rianne, 23, said: “I simply couldn’t believe it when I was

told I had been awarded the British Empire Medal. It has been a great way to finish what has been an amazing twelve months.

“I have been so busy since I returned from

Brazil, expanding my own business, and this news

brought home just how much the whole team achieved at WorldSkills.”

Further recognition for WorldSkills UK in the honours list came in the form of an MBE for Christian Notley, Team UK’s training manager for cabinet-making.

that I was going to Brazil; it’s a great way to top off what has been an amazing 12 months.”

Edward, 22, told FE Week: “When I received my letter I felt quite overwhelmed by what had been offered to me and I feel very proud.

“This is something that will be with me for the rest of my life and my family felt the same when I told them the news.

“I hope that this also raises awareness of the WorldSkills competition to younger people pursuing a career in skills.”

Three members of Team UK have been recognised for last year’s success at WorldSkills in São Paulo with awards in the Queen’s Birthday honours list.

Beauty therapist Rianne Chester, plumbing and heating competitor Gary Doyle, and cabinetmaker Edward Harringham, winners of Team UK’s three gold medals in Brazil, were all awarded British Empire Medals for their services to skills.

Gary, 21, was the youngest person to be recognised in this year’s list.

He said: “It was a complete surprise to find out that I was receiving an honour, I certainly didn’t expect it.

“It was this time last year that I found out

WorldSkills gold medallists recognised again in honours list

FE HIGH ACHIEVERS RECOGNISED IN QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST

Mr Notley, who is also head of furniture studies at Chichester College, said the award was a “huge honour”.

He told FE Week: “I am passionate about the value of vocational training and apprenticeships as being equal to academic courses, so it’s great to have skills training recognised in the honours list and hopefully this will help others to realise its value as well.”

Neil Bentley, WorldSkills UK’s chief executive said: “Christian, Rianne, Gary and Edward helped to deliver the UK’s best ever result at WorldSkills São Paulo 2015, sending out a strong message that apprenticeships and vocational training really can lead to great career success.”

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I was saddened but not surprised when the tenth inadequate Oftsed rating for an FE college was published.

It is no secret that many colleges have struggled to come to terms a perfect storm of funding cuts and extensive government reforms to our sector.

This has been exposed through a succession of dire Ofsted reports, since the launch of the new common inspection framework.

The change that colleges have struggled with most has to be compulsory maths and English GCSE resits.

The government was right to highlight past numeracy and literacy failings across education and legislate to improve things.

But a little more leeway in how colleges are inspected over this wouldn’t go amiss.

It isn’t fair that maths and English should be having an overriding influence on the inadequate ratings — when there are so many other elements to take into account with judging colleges’ overall performances.

A good solution would be to create a headline field for this area of provision. Then maths and English could be judged in its own right, but wouldn’t necessarily drag down everything else.

editorial

Paul Offord, Deputy [email protected]

Making the grade

David Carter @Carter6DAm delighted that Amanda Spielman has been nominated as the next HMCI and look forward to working with her to build a great education system

Chris Cook Verified account @xtophercookAppointing @amanda_spielman does not make me think @Ofstednews is going to get more deferential to @educationgovuk

David Weston @informed_eduIn particular, @amanda_spielman has an almost unbeatable grasp of reliable, valid assessment of quality and avoiding perverse consequences.

Tom Bennett @tombennett71Congratulations to @amanda_spielman for her nomination for Ofsted Chief Inspector. She is wise and good

James O’Shaughnessy @jamesoshWith her brilliant mind & passion for education, Amanda Spielman will be a great HMI. Her aim: an Ofsted that unleashes excellence not fear.

Tony Haimes @tonyhaimesIt’s great that Amanda Spielman has been chosen as the new Ofsted chief. As someone who’s never been a teacher she seems eminently qualified

Ofqual chair Amanda Spielman put forward to replace chief inspector at Ofsted

commentsCollege Christian union supposedly banned by PreventI think that this is exactly what objectors warned about,

and the UK is setting Christians and others up for abuse

with Prevent. I’m from the US, and it is quite sad to see

the land that gave us the Magna Carta and the other

precursors to the American experiment in freedoms,

now giving ammunition to those who wish to harass

Christians and others. Those who argued against the law

can clearly say, I told you so

Nonna

Marked change of direction at AELP as new chief criticises growth of subcontractingAs Mark said, it’s a complex subject and much of it takes

place for good reason. But too much is still being used

as a profit point with no added value to the end user.

Subcontracting will continue in the new world but its

shape will change, particularly with a sharp downturn in

tactical subcontracts and unnecessarily high management

fees, neither of which add value for the end user, the

learner. Both should wither away with the availability of

what are effectively direct contracts with employers.

Paul Warner

All the time that the contract holders lack what’s needed

to deliver all of the results, subcontracting will be a

necessary evil.

Without it, the SFA would need to directly manage

a much larger provider market, and they simply

don’t have the resource to do it. Subcontracting is, for

want of a better rationale, the devolution of contract

management responsibilities.

But the SFA need to stick to their word and take

action against those contract holders that are making

subcontracting a revenue stream, rather than “just”

applying the concept of full cost recovery.

Kevin Moore

Sub-contracting is a legitimate and widespread business

practice effectively utilised throughout business and

commerce. To ban it would be wrong and an admission

that the bad practices used throughout the FE sector

cannot be rectified. It would be better and braver if the

regulators moved to eradicate the bad practices and

ensure that the approach is properly employed in order to

increase the much argued for raising of quality across all

delivery. It has always been wrong for quality providers

to be unjustifiably refused direct contracts. It has always

been wrong for main contractors to use the approach

merely as an income generator taking cash away from the

frontline delivery. It has also been highly questionable

for providers whose prime role has been to serve their

local communities, to extend geographical delivery via

sub-contractors solely to extract unjustifiable ‘top slices’

from the exercise.

All of these examples of poor practice could and should

have been sorted long ago. They still can. The refusal to

offer adequate direct contracts to (mainly) independent

providers has been at the root of most of these problems.

It has also hidden the true proportion of apprenticeship

delivery by independent providers which has always been

substantially understated.

Graham Hoyle

Sir David Collins to step down before area reviews completeSir David, has demonstrated a commitment to our sector,

in several key roles. It cannot be easy to achieve what

he has with independent corporations that he has to his

considerable credit.

He will be missed!

Ian Clinton

Britain would need to make an additional £1.15bn cut in education spending to fill the £30bn black hole in public finances that would be caused by Brexit, the Chancellor has warned.

However, George Osborne’s claim was immediately dismissed as scaremongering by dozens of eurosceptic MPs from his own party.

His warning was echoed by skills minister Nick Boles, who has claimed that leaving the European Union could kill off the apprenticeship levy.

Osborne’s Brexit Budget report spelled out harsh money-saving measures he claims would be needed from 2018-19 if the public votes to leave the EU in the June 23 referendum.

He said: “One plausible scenario shows health spending would be cut by £2.5bn, defence spending by £1.2bn, and education spending by a similar amount.”

It was more specific in a subsequent table which indicated the government would need to cut £1.15bn from education spending.

This provoked an angry reaction from a group of 60 Eurosceptic Tory MPs, who reportedly said it had “destroyed” his credibility.

Mr Boles had previously entered the Brexit debate during an event in Westminster, organised by Policy Exchange, warning: “As skills minister I am responsible for the introduction next April of a new apprenticeship levy on large employers.

“But do you think the chancellor will feel it is prudent to introduce a new payroll tax in the middle of a recession, when business confidence has been shattered by a decision to leave the single market and unemployment is rising?”

Julian Gravatt, assistant chief executive of the Association of Colleges, expressed wider concerns about FE prospects if Britain leaves the EU.

He said: “This could lead to further public spending cuts and if the government cuts or postpones the levy, then the consequences for college funding in 2017 and afterwards could be pretty serious.”

But a spokesperson for the Vote Leave campaign disagreed with these concerns, claiming the government would ultimately

have more to spend on the sector if it stood alone.

He said: “We send £350m to the EU each and every week. After we vote to leave we can take back control of this money and spend it on our priorities such as supporting apprenticeships and investing in FE.”

It is believed that there would be a two-year negotiating period after the UK notified the EU of its intention to leave, in the event of Brexit.

This has raised questions, reported on by FE Week in February and still unresolved, over what would happen to European Social Fund (ESF) contracts— with the current round running from 2014 to 2020 worth about €3bn (£2.3bn) across England.

The ESF is cash that the UK receives, as a member state of the EU, to increase job opportunities and help people to improve their skill levels, particularly those who find it difficult to get work.

It is partly administered through the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and its allocations in 2014/15 showed that 107 different providers, including colleges and independent training organisations, received a combined total of £305,267,633 in ESF cash.

Osborne’s Brexit budget warns of £1.15bn cuts in education spendingPAUL OFFORD @PAULOFFORDJUDE BURKE @JUDEBURKE77

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Legal expert Smita Jamdar reflects on

legal issues with the implementation of

the new Prevent duty, and how this could

affect the FE sector.

In parliament last week, the prime minister described the reported decision of an unnamed college to ban Christian Union

meetings because of the Prevent framework as “clearly ludicrous”.

People, he went on to say, needed to exercise common sense in making these judgments.

This will be cold comfort for management teams up and down the country trying to navigate the government’s guidance.

This doesn’t list the types of extremism to which it should apply (although it does give examples, including Islamic radicalisation and far-right groups), but instead is based on the idea of views that are contrary to “British values”.

Hence, the government has chosen a very flexible definition of extremism — so flexible in fact that attempting to enshrine it in statute through the Counter-Extremism Bill is now foundering on the grounds that it is not sufficiently legally robust.

It was chosen deliberately because it can then be adapted to differing environments and changing trends.

While such a broad definition may be a laudably pragmatic attempt at “future-proofing” the legislation, it does leave it open for such vastly different judgments to be reached that even identifying what a “common” sense response looks like may be tricky.

It is important to remember that the statutory duty is to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism, while having particular regard to colleges’ statutory duty to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable for staff, students and visitors.

Terrorism is defined as particular action or the threat of particular action (such as serious violence and damage to property) designed to influence the government or intimidate the public in order to advance a political, religious or ideological cause.

This, most people would agree, is a relatively clear threshold to identify.

The guidance however is based on the much broader definition of extremism as vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and a mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.

So much broader is this definition that some legal commentators have questioned whether it is close to being an unlawfully broad exercise

of the power to issue guidance conferred by the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015.

Whether or not that is correct, colleges have to apply the definition as it stands.

If there is a religious group (or indeed any other group not necessarily aligned to a religion) expressing views that were contrary to this broad definition of British values, then technically they fall within the Prevent guidance.

Consideration needs to be given, therefore, as to whether or not those exposed to these views could be drawn into taking or threatening action to intimidate the public or a section of the public as a result.

Some religions promote beliefs that raise questions about, for example, individual liberty: sexuality and abortion are issues in relation to which elsewhere in the world terrorist acts have been carried out by religious groups.

If there is a risk that the group’s views could lead to that result, then intervention by an institution is not only justified, but also arguably required in order to discharge the statutory duty.

Having identified a risk, colleges are expected to eliminate it.

In the case of open events, such as visiting speakers, that may be achieved by making sure contrary views are expressed at the event.

But what can be done about private gatherings, other than perhaps ban them?

This may not have been what the government had in mind when it introduced the latest version of the Prevent duty.

But it is perfectly predictable response to a duty drawn so widely that it will capture views that are regarded as mainstream by some groups.

If that is not what the David Cameron wants, then he should ensure his government revisits its definition, not berate colleges for reaching decisions he personally disagrees with.

experts

Government may need to try again with Prevent definition

Smita Jamdar

Partner and head of education for Shakespeare Martineau

The guidance is based on the much broader definition of extremism as vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values

Q: Many of you have asked me what

perfect governance should look like,

and some have asked if it’s time for a

change. I have therefore decided to dedicate

this week’s Dear Sue column to answering

this in detail.

A:There are too many variables for us to have absolutely perfect governance in all colleges at any one time, but we can

certainly work to make things better.I have said before that FE governance in

England is far from broken, but I doubt whether we could call it dynamic.

The role of a college governor is both rewarding and challenging.

The focus of any dynamic board is on the twin goals of ensuring a first-class student experience, and managing finances in an open and transparent way.

These two intertwined activities should be at the heart of everything and, although there have been some failures, on the whole governors do this well.

They are the hidden force underpinning the success of FE, but the landscape is changing and governance should change with it.

I appreciate that the changes to landscape and policy make life in FE difficult.

However, governing bodies need to do more to inspire their colleges to provide a service that does their students justice and motivates them to reach their full potential, with high expectations of students and staff.

They must also give employers and the communities they serve the confidence to invest in college services.

Board members should visibly demonstrate they are sound custodians of public funds and are able to show they have undertaken their duty wisely and prudently.

Area reviews and the creation of new colleges are a once-in-a-decade opportunity to bring in new governors and new ways of working.

The fundamentals of good governance don’t change, but the way a board is organised and behaves certainly can.

Area reviews can provide the trigger to rethink and meet the accountability challenge in a dynamic way.

New governing bodies can start afresh, not just adopt the systems and membership of the past.

These governing bodies should review their composition, working practices, and the roles of key contributors such as employers, governors including staff and students, executives and clerks.

When I speak to chairs with extensive experience in both the public and private sector, they say the most effective boards have a membership of eight to 10, with a composition of people with complementary skills,

considered before appointment and utilised once appointed.

They also say good discussion and challenge depends on the quality of material presented to them — and they are most effective when thought has been given to how reports and data are presented, with comparisons and benchmarking used in a consistent manner.

I’m also often told it is crucially important that they are able to provide the most effective challenge and assurance when issues are clearly communicated and potential solutions are offered by the executive.

Board members are least constructive when they have act as “detectives”, spending board time on interpreting data they are given and offering up possible solutions because the executive has not done so.

Many are saying that remunerating chairs would make a difference to the way their role is perceived.

Governing bodies are custodians and legally accountable for funds often in the excess of £100m annually.

Therefore, chairs should be seen as professional governance non-executive directors and should be compensated appropriately.

The accountability and expectations put on such individuals exceeds what can be expected of an unpaid volunteer.

The Charity Commission has recently recognised the extraordinary role governors are having to play in area reviews and have supported proposals to remunerate some chairs.

So should we be making the case for large new colleges to have paid chairs and/or introduce a new breed of remunerated governor whose main job is too scrutinise and challenge?

And, is it not time we dropped the term ‘clerk’ and replace it with ‘company secretary’ or ‘governance professional’.

FE colleges are exciting, dynamic places and governors of the future need to match that dynamism.

Now is the time for new college governing bodies and existing boards to refresh their membership and governance structures and to harness the skills of business leaders and key influencers in their area.

Dynamic governance – time for a change?

Dear Dr Sue

The fundamentals of good governance don’t change, but the way a board is organised and behaves certainly can

On the third Monday of every month Dr Sue, Holex director of policy and external relations, answers

your questions, backed by the experience of almost a decade as principal of Canterbury College, in

addition to time served in senior civil service posts at central government departments covering

education and skills.


The idea of working together to improve outcomes is not a new one, but in an increasingly fragmented landscape for learning and skills, the notion of joining together behind a shared vision is an essential one.

Future learning activity will be governed by a partnership board, made up of city leaders from a cross section of organisations including City of Bristol College, both of our universities, primary and secondary heads associations, as well as businesses and the council.

This ensures a genuine partnership approach as all key decisions affecting education and skills in Bristol come to this board.

The task ahead is huge and work has already begun by bringing the right people

together to focus on education, lifelong learning and skills.

Influential individuals are working in targeted groups to tackle some of the core issues Bristol faces – including how to get people into work.

Over the coming year, I am looking forward to working with our city partners and our college to deliver an experience of work for all young people in Bristol and develop and implement a city wide CV.

These are both projects that the college’s senior management are helping to shape, ensuring the skills young people gain are the ones employers need.

Tackling the education achievement gap is also being addressed by a separate group, with a core goal of improving results for young people in school and FE.

With a growing population of nearly half a million, the challenges facing Bristol are the same as those playing out in many major cities in the UK.

We are not unique in that respect, but having grown up locally the importance of levelling the playing field through education is abundantly clear to me.

Becoming a Learning City is one way to improve life for citizens. We will pay a high social, economic and moral cost if we don’t act.

The recently elected mayor of Bristol

explains the key role he hopes FE

can play in his plans to drive down

inequality through better co-ordinated

education and training

Earlier this month, Bristol took to an international stage to showcase how the city became England’s first learning city,

joining a network of other places across the globe.

The recent Pascal conference in Glasgow brought together cities from as far away as China and Pakistan to discuss the value of working in partnership to improve learning opportunities – something that is absolutely essential to the success of a place and its people.

Bristol is an affluent city with a reputation as a good place to live, but it’s a city of two halves, and prosperity is not shared by all.

Improving social mobility is one of the core issues that we can overcome through being a learning city, and the FE sector has a vital role to play with making this a reality.

This is not a problem that the council or any one organisation can solve on its own.

With more young people under the age of 16 than of pensionable age in Bristol, we need to make changes now for future generations.

Being a learning city shows, however, that things are changing and our college, City of Bristol, has been involved from the start.

Senior leaders, including the new principal, have shown great enthusiasm for the approach and embraced the chance to work in partnership to develop new initiatives which inspire young people.

Proud to be England’s first learning city

Mayor of Bristol

Marvin ReesImproving social mobility is one of the core issues that we can overcome through being a learning city, and the FE sector has a vital role to play with making this a reality

experts

For reassuring support, sign up your interest at ocr.org.uk/interest

SLEEP WELL,REST ASSURED

Learners need different paths for them to succeed in English and maths.So whatever route they take, we’re with you to make sure they achieve.Together with resources like specialist advice, practice tests, planning tools, delivery guides and CPD events, rest assured we’re here to support you all the way.

Supporting your English and maths delivery


Four friends at Priestley College have tackled

the Three Peaks Challenge to raise funds for

one of them to spend

a gap year teaching in

Guyana.

Students Gregory Horne,

Laura Nicholson and

Charlotte Whittaker scaled

the highest peaks in Britain

— Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike,

and Snowdon — along with

Scott Kingsley who is hoping to teach in South

America when he finishes his A-levels.

The four managed to complete the monumental

challenge in two minutes under the 24 hours that

people usually target — raising £1,000.

Scott, who studies chemistry, physics and

maths, needed to raise £6,200 to cover the costs of

his travel, accommodation, food and insurance

for the trip.

The group’s efforts brought

his total to nearly £4,000.

Scott said the trip to

South America would be a

“fantastic opportunity” to

give something back to a

community other than his

own.

He added: “It will be the first time I will have

to write a letter. I’ve been told there’s no phone

signal or internet where I will be going so a letter

is the best way to get a message home.”

You can donate to Scott’s bid at

virginmoneygiving.com/scottkingsleyguyana.

Residents from nursing homes around Salisbury were invited to an indoor garden party at Wiltshire College to celebrate the

Queen’s 90th birthday.The tea party was organised by level three

health and social care students and staff to create new links with the community and support elderly residents.

Around 30 elderly residents, accompanied by family members or care staff, attended the party where they tucked into sandwiches, cakes, tea and coffee made by students.

They were also treated to hand massages and nail painting by beauty therapy students, live music from performing arts technician Chris Wynn, a slide show of photographs of the Queen

and bingo.Ninety-one-year-

old twins Doris Russell and Betty Ellis were both “thrilled” to get their nails painted for the first time in their lives and chose a colour to match their cardigans, green.

Betty said: “It is fantastic and I have had an absolutely wonderful time here at the college.

“It was a great party, very enjoyable.”

Student mechanics at Sussex Downs College

used their skills to repair and donate a car to

an ex-serviceman.

Dean Roberts, who

served as a logistics

driver for different

regiments until a

motorbike incident

in 2008 meant he had

to leave the military,

received the newly

restored Renault Clio

earlier this month.

The group of level

two motor vehicle bodywork and repair students

worked on the car, restoring it to its former glory

with £2,500 worth of work.

Among the work included a full service and

valet, a new cam belt, repaired heating fans, and

repainting its front bumper.

The students spent one

session a week working

on the car over six

weeks, totalling around

34 hours of shop time.

Mr Roberts said he

was “at a loss for words”

as he received the key

to his new car. “Thank

you doesn’t quite cut it

but it’s all I can say to

everyone involved.”

The project was part of a collaboration between

Soldiers off the Street charity, local motor

businesses and motor vehicle staff and students

from the college.

CAMPUS ROUND-UP

A Blackburn College student was amazed to find out that a T-shirt he had designed was worn on stage by the famous British

rapper, Skepta.Ebrahim Patel, 19, who is studying a

foundation diploma in art and design, customised a Sports Direct T-shirt ahead of a meet-and-greet with the artist in Manchester.

The aspiring designer had already posted a photo of the shirt on Instagram, with Skepta and fellow rapper Chipmunk “liking” the post.

Ebrahim said: “I customised the shirt with a flame design using paints.

“I found out that he’d [Skepta] worn my

shirt when I saw an image on Twitter of him on stage. I am still in shock. It’s amazing.

“It’s a really big deal. Skepta is ranked 7th in GQ’ss best dressed men in Britain and is a really influential figure.”

Ebrahim, who is going on to study footwear design at the London College of Fashion when he finishes at Blackburn College, said he would like to make more customised clothing for celebrities.

He added: “I make T-shirts for me and my friends, and I design artwork for a friend who produces music, but footwear is my passion. I will certainly seize the next opportunity.”

Hitting the peaks for Guyana gap year

Many happy returns Ma’am

T-shirt endorsement from stylish rapper Skepta

Skepta on stage wearing Ebrahim’s customised T-shirt

Residents of nursing homes around Salisbury celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday at Wiltshere College

Car repaired for injured ex-serviceman

Dean Roberts (front left) is passed the keys to his new car, thanks to Sussex Downs College students

The Three Peaks: (clockwise) Ben Nevis, Scaffel Pike, Mount Snowdon

From left: Priestley College friends Laura Nicholson, aged 17, Scott Kingsley, 18, Gregory Horne, 18, and Charlotte Whittaker, 18

Nursing home resident Doris Russell shows off her newly painted nails


and recruited more than 400 new employers to offer apprenticeships as part of the challenge.

The apprentice teams have also reached out to their local communities and delivered 45 community projects to benefit young people.

Sue Husband, director at the National Apprenticeship Service which supports the challenge and a judge of the competition, said all participants would take away “effective personal skills” as a result of the process.

She told FE Week: “I think most important thing for the participants is the impact it has on them as individuals and how it will affect other people around them.

“We’ve had past winners go on to cohost the apprenticeship awards, spoken at events at National Apprenticeship Week and chosen to be involved in the current apprenticeship Get in Go Far campaign. It brings loads of potential for themselves and building their confidence.”

UKAEA apprentices power their way to Brathay Challenge victoryFive months of tough challenges culminated

this week for the final of the fifth annual

Brathay Apprenticeship Challenge, writes

Billy Camden.

Nine apprentices from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) have had their skills tested to the limit since

February to be named the country’s team of the year.

They fought off tough competition from seven other teams in a final three-day showdown this week, in which UKAEA narrowly beat HMRC Digital Newcastle into second place and HSBC, who finished third. Teams from Apprenticeships Norfolk Network, Hampshire County Council, HMRC Surge and Rapid Response, IBM and QinetiQ also competed in the final.

To get there, the teams had to prove their logistical, team building and communication skills by visiting nearly 400 schools, careers fairs and youth groups to raise awareness of apprenticeships, as well as completing a project in their community.

In the final, held at youth charity Brathay’s headquarters on Lake Windermere in the Lake District from Monday, they also faced the challenge of a series of team building tasks — from orienteering and coracle boat building to an assembly line puzzle.

UKAEA team leader and electronic engineering apprentice, David Godden, 21, told FE Week the team was “ecstatic” and “shocked” to win.

Do you want to be in Campus Round-up?Send your stories with pictures to [email protected] including names, ages and course details of students where applicable

He said: “It feels great because we’ve worked hard for a good few

months now and to finally get some recognition for it is amazing.

“The three days have been intense. We’re all aching but it has been great fun. We have been out on the whaling boats, climbing up fells, but we are all looking forward to a bit of a rest now.”

David said the hardest challenge was the final whaler boat race — a timed five-mile rowing and navigation trial around the lake.

“We were rowing for a good hour and a half so it was keeping the rhythm going and keeping it all going as team through the stress of physical

and mental exertion as well as navigation.”Stephen Hall, apprenticeship training

manager at UKAEA, said the apprentices’ victory made the company “very proud”.

The scores from the community project and awareness-raising element, the assembly line puzzle and the whaler boat race were combined to give the final ranking.

For their community project, the UKAEA team volunteered with Helen and Douglas House Hospice and took part in a radio drive which raised £35,000.

David said this was “one of the most enjoyable things” about the whole Brathay challenge process.

Over the course of the year, teams reached out to young people to discuss apprenticeships

Lowestoft College has announced that its current deputy principal of planning and performance, Jason King, will step up to

succeed the outgoing principal Jo Pretty for the new academic year, from July.

Mr King, who is currently taking a masters in international business strategy, said his vision for the college is to work towards creating an institute of technology on the East Coast, “enabling young people within the wider area an accessible route into developing higher-level technical skills”.

He said: “I am surrounded by an excellent team of talented and committed staff and am confident that by working with colleagues across multiple sectors, the development of a technical institute can be transformational, not just locally but regionally.”

Before joining the education sector, Mr King worked in a number of commercial and engineering

management roles in the oil and gas, defence, and manufacturing sectors. Since then, he has held senior roles at Great Yarmouth College.

Tina Ellis, chair of the Lowestoft College Corporation, said Mr King’s past experiences would “prove valuable” in the college’s vision for an institute of technology.

Meanwhile, Jenny Williams is the new deputy chief executive at the Skills and Education Group. She was previously director of vocational education and training at the Education and Training Foundation.

&MOVERSSHAKERS

Your weekly guide to who’s new and

who’s leaving

If you want to let us know of any new faces at the top of your college, training provider or awarding organisation please let us know by emailing [email protected]

Alliance has announced that Gary Hunnisett will step up to be the new chair of its board.

Mr Hunnisett, the current vice-chair, replaces Vic Farlie, the founding chair of the regional provider network for London for post-16 education and training.

Mr Hunnisett, who is the commercial director of Smart Training, said his key priorities for the alliance would be to put them “at the forefront” of engaging with employers with the introduction of the apprenticeship levy.

“We will work closely with the new mayor’s administration on devolution, and ensure that we maximise the opportunities for independent providers to secure European Structural and Investment Funds funding,” he added.

Mr Farlie will stay on the organisation’s board and will lead on the introduction of the apprenticeship levy and the London area

review process.He said: “I am

very grateful for the opportunity to have led the LWBLA. Who would have predicted that eight years ago we would have grown to having over 130 members today with independent providers accounting for over 90 per cent of all publicly funded apprenticeships in London?”

Ms Williams said her role at the new group, which was launched this month and aims to inform, influence and represent both the education and skills sectors, is to help young people transition into adult and work life.

The group’s founding members are awarding organisations ABC Awards and Asdan, as well as FE and skills charity Emfec. Ms Williams will also become managing director of Asdan.

After completing a degree in linguistics and computer studies at Hatfield Polytechnic University, Ms Williams began working with schools, first for Dorset training and enterprise council and then Southampton City Council.

More recently, she has held a range of national strategic roles in FE.

She said her new role will give her the scope to bring together her early career experience within schools with her more recent further education knowledge.

And the London Work Based Learning

JENNY WILLIAMS GARY HUNNISETT VICTOR FARLIEJASON KING

FEATURED CAMPUS ROUND-UP

Apprentices go rafting in the mission accomplishment task at the Brathay challenge

Brathay Apprentice Challenge 2016 winners. Pictured with their trophy are Tom Cox, Elliott Taylor, Emily Swatton, Dave Goddon, Jake Payne, Peter Blowfield, Joe Woodley, Matt Sayer and Sam Cullen

An HMRC Surge and Rapid Response apprentice takes a leap of faith at the Brathay challenge


jobs

To find out further information,please visit: www.edexcel.com/aa-recruitment

Become a BTEC Standards Verifier for our Child Care Qualifications

Enthusiastic and creative teacher required to join our ambitious team of teachers.

Opportunity to work with Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls Royce and many more engineering companies. Our motto is ‘business-like, business-led.’

Benefits package includes associate membership of University of Warwick.

Our academy is a new build with £1m of engineering equipment.

Further information about WMG Academy, and details on how to apply, can be found on our academy website:

coventry.wmgacademy.org.uk

TEACHER OF DESIGN, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERINGKS4 and KS5 OnlySeptember 2016 start

Deadline for application: Monday 27 June 2016 at 9.00am

HLC have vacancies for experienced teachers at its female college and two male colleges in Gassim province. One year contracts commencing in August 2016 are available in the following subjects:

ENGLISH (MALE AND FEMALE)

BUSINESS (FEMALE/MALE)

HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (FEMALE/MALE)

ELECTRICAL (MALE)

An attractive tax free salary, housing in a Western style compound, transport, health insurance and 35 days paid holiday are among the benefits available for the right candidates.

If you are interested in finding out more and have at least 3 years teaching experience, are a native speaker of English and have an undergraduate degree in an appropriate subject, please go to our website https://hertfordshire.applicantpro.com/jobs/ for further information.

WE ARE CONTINUING TO OFFER FREE RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING FOR ALL ENGLISH AND MATHS TEACHING

ROLES. GET IN TOUCH WITH HANNAH BELOW FOR MORE INFO

TO ADVERTISE WITH US CALL HANNAH SMITH ON 020 81234 778 OR

[email protected]

English and maths jobs


WMC – The Camden College helps to transform adult lives through education and we have an exciting opening where you can make a real difference to curriculum delivery. Curriculum Manager – English and Maths Salary £32,142 to £36,162 per annumIncluding 35 days holiday and Teachers’ Pension Scheme We are looking for an outstanding Curriculum Manager to develop and grow our Maths and English provision from Entry level to GCSE. We need someone who is enthusiastic to achieve innovation, flexible delivery and outstanding learner outcomes.

You will have a track record of successfully developing innovative learning programmes that attract diverse and effective income streams and know how to manage, deliver and evaluate excellent learning experiences.

The College offers many good employment benefits including generous holiday entitlement, pension scheme, and many on-site benefits and facilities.

To apply for this post, please download an application pack from our website at www.wmcollege.ac.uk. The website will also provide more information about this post. When you have completed your application pack you can email it to [email protected] or by post to Human Resources, WMC – The Camden College, 44 Crowndale Road, NW1 1QR. Please note that we do not accept CV’s as application for a position and do not welcome contact from recruitment agencies. Closing date for this position is 9am Friday 24 June 2016.Interviews and assessments will take place on Thursday 14 July 2016 - please ensure that you are available to attend on this day if selected

New vision, new plans…new opportunities.

Media Production and Communication – Curriculum ManagerSalary: £32,142 - £36,162We are looking for an experienced manager and qualified and inspirational teacher for thisarea which includes Media Production, Digital Arts, Photography and Performing Arts.Working with expert and committed teaching staff, enthusiastic students and excellenttechnical facilities, your role will be to expand our current offer of courses for adultlearners including Arts and Media courses together with Languages and Humanities. Youwill manage Level 2 Creative Media Production and the Media pathway on our FoundationDiploma in Art and Design (EDEXCEL Level 3), plus lead on further development of theSaturday programme across the Arts and Humanities Department.

Closing date: 9:00am Thursday 15 OctoberInterviews: Thursday 22 October

newJOBS

The Camden College

For further details and to apply for the above post please contact the HR Department on:[email protected] please download further details and an application pack from our website: www.wmcollege.ac.ukWhen you have completed your application you can email it to: [email protected] send it by post to: HR Department, Working Men’s College, 44 Crowndale Road, NW1 1TR

The same... OUTSTANDING!

CollegeWMC actively strives to be an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community.All appointments will be solely on merit. Registered Charity No. 312803.

Connect with us:

WorkingMensCollege @WMCollege

The Camden College

Tube: Mornington Crescent 2mins / Camden Town, Euston & St Pancras 10 mins

16 x 3 columnsFE WEEK Sept 29

We have an exciting new role available which offers the opportunity for you to joinour expanding provision. If you are an organised, enthusiastic team player, able towork flexibly to deliver outstanding learner outcomes and share our mission ofsustaining an inclusive learning environment, we would really like to hear from you.We offer a pension scheme, generous holiday and other benefits

New vision, new plans…new opportunities.

Media Production and Communication – Curriculum ManagerSalary: £32,142 - £36,162We are looking for an experienced manager and qualified and inspirational teacher for thisarea which includes Media Production, Digital Arts, Photography and Performing Arts.Working with expert and committed teaching staff, enthusiastic students and excellenttechnical facilities, your role will be to expand our current offer of courses for adultlearners including Arts and Media courses together with Languages and Humanities. Youwill manage Level 2 Creative Media Production and the Media pathway on our FoundationDiploma in Art and Design (EDEXCEL Level 3), plus lead on further development of theSaturday programme across the Arts and Humanities Department.

Closing date: 9:00am Thursday 15 OctoberInterviews: Thursday 22 October

newJOBS

The Camden College

For further details and to apply for the above post please contact the HR Department on:[email protected] please download further details and an application pack from our website: www.wmcollege.ac.ukWhen you have completed your application you can email it to: [email protected] send it by post to: HR Department, Working Men’s College, 44 Crowndale Road, NW1 1TR

The same... OUTSTANDING!

CollegeWMC actively strives to be an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community.All appointments will be solely on merit. Registered Charity No. 312803.

Connect with us:

WorkingMensCollege @WMCollege

The Camden College

Tube: Mornington Crescent 2mins / Camden Town, Euston & St Pancras 10 mins

16 x 3 columnsFE WEEK Sept 29

We have an exciting new role available which offers the opportunity for you to joinour expanding provision. If you are an organised, enthusiastic team player, able towork flexibly to deliver outstanding learner outcomes and share our mission ofsustaining an inclusive learning environment, we would really like to hear from you.We offer a pension scheme, generous holiday and other benefits

We are looking for 3 new recruits, 2 Client Managers, 1 based in the north and 1 in the south of England along with a New Business Development Manager to join our dynamic high achieving workforce. In addition to a highly attractive salary, remote flexible working we have a great Investor in People work ethic and friendly culture.

These roles are client facing and traveling across the UK to client’s premises will be required at least 2 days a week.

Smart Assessor is a dynamic, entrepreneurial successful technology company. The company is the market leader in providing innovative technology for colleges and training providers to use with their learners, discarding paper portfolios replacing them with an electronic portfolio to showcase their skills with videos and photos. Tutors and assessors can then review work and provide instant feedback, managers and employers can see at a glance how well their learners are progressing and keep them on track for timely completions.

1 x Client Account Manager (North)

1 x Client Account Manager (London/South of England)Salary: Competitive

Smart Assessor has grown rapidly and has lots of exciting new products in their development roadmap. To help us support our ever increasing client base we need to recruit additional dedicated account managers to continue to provide them with exemplary customer service.

The Client Account Managers will focus on listening to, and meeting the needs of our clients. Backed up by an outstanding technical support and training team you will be their single point of contact for all of their needs, developing a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. You will be responsible for identifying any opportunities to offer additional licenses, products and services to your clients as well as protecting existing renewals.

New Business Development Manager

Salary: Competitive

In just 5 years Smart Assessor has grown rapidly to become the leading e-portfolio software, wining 1 in every 2 sales presentations we attend. We’ve achieved in just 4 years what has taken other e-portfolios to achieve in 10. On track to achieve revenue in excess of £3m this year what is amazing is that we have achieved this with just a single New Business Development Manager! As you can imagine with the growth in apprenticeships demand, we are missing out on many new business opportunities so the time has come to recruit another amazing BDM.

The New Business Development Manager is required to generate and close sales opportunities from a niche target market of apprenticeship training providers in the UK.

Closing Dates: 25/07/2016To apply, email Lisa Taylor at [email protected]

Smart Assessor are recruiting!Are you an outstanding person working in FE looking for your next Challenge?

jobs


jobs

Programme Co-ordinator/Tutor in LawSalary: £31,665 through to £37,768

This vacancy is a cross-College role and requires the successful candidate to teach across a range of programmes and disciplines including the Cert HE in Law and the BA (Hons) in Social Work.

The college offers Law across a number of programmes:

Certificate of Higher Education in Law (level 4): English legal System, Employment Law, Ant-Discrimination Law, Law Rights & the Body, European Law, Civil Liberties & Human Rights.

Modules of the BA in Social Work (levels 4-6): Law for Social Workers, Welfare Rights, Social Policy, Principles & Practices of Social Work & Law, and Skills Development.

This position will sit within the Law and International Labour & Trade Union Studies Department. The successful candidate will primarily co-ordinate the Certificate of Higher Education in Law and will support the teaching of law across a number of programmes that contain law elements, depending on their skills set.

Communications OfficerSalary: £24,297 - £29,890

Ruskin College is an adult residential college offering further education and higher education. The College has a strong commitment to social justice and the empowerment of individuals and communities. The Communications Officer is a new and important position. The role is a cross-College function and requires the post holder to have the skills, knowledge and ability to lead the College marketing functions and to ensure the accuracy of all public information/ marketing material produced for both external and internal audiences. You will be an effective self-starter who can establish the marketing and public information function within the College. This will involve building relationships, and managing the process of the marketing strategy. The Communications Officer will lead digital marketing.

You will need excellent communication skills and marketing experience and the ability to develop and maintain excellent relationships.

For an application form and further details on either of these vacancies contact Laura Cozier by email on [email protected]

Closing date: 1st of July 2016.

Chief Executive Training Provider and Membership Services based East Midlands

Salary c.£45k negotiable, depending on experience plus bonus package, pension and healthcare scheme

Successful work-based learning and membership organisation is seeking to recruit a Chief Executive to lead the

business and implement the growth and improvement plans to further develop its range of training services.

The successful applicant will have the integrity, strength of character and very strong communication and

negotiation skills to deal with a wide and diverse range of stakeholders and understand the challenges and

opportunities facing this sector. An in-depth knowledge gained from senior management experience in the

work-based learning sector is essential.

The deadline for the applications is Tuesday 05 July at 1200. For an application pack please email Christine on

[email protected]. Please note we will not accept CV applications.


jobs

MATHS TUTOR Salary: Up to £33,500 OTE

Hours: 9.00am – 6.00pm (including occasional evenings and weekends)

Holiday: 20 – 25 days + Bank holidays

LCBT are currently looking to recruit a Maths Tutor to join our fast paced and dynamic Education and Training team, we are looking for someone that is enthusiastic and passionate about teaching maths and is looking to develop and grow with the department and LCBT.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the delivery of GCSE and Functional Skills Maths to meet learner’s individual needs and meeting the national Maths standards. They will be creating and maintaining individual learning plans to meet the needs of learners, and will also have a hand in maintaining learner records, contributing to schemes of work and developing learning resources in line with the awarding bodies, amongst other duties.

Essential to the role

• A Teaching qualification (minimum Cert Ed/DTLLS)

• Compliance with continuing professional development requirements

• GCSE/ A Level equivalent in Maths

• Experience of marking and moderation

• Experience of planning and teaching GCSE Maths

• Experience of delivering Functional Skills Maths Entry Level up to Level 2

ENGLISH TUTOR

Salary: Up to £33,500 OTE

Hours: 9.00am – 6.00pm (including occasional evenings and weekends)

Holiday: 20 – 25 days + Bank holidays

LCBT are looking to recruit an English Tutor to join our fast paced and dynamic Education and Training team, we are looking for a proactive individual who is enthusiastic and has a passion about English.

The successful candidate will be providing support to learners through the delivery of English GCSE and Functional Skills to national standards. They will be responsible for creating and maintaining individual learning plans to meet the needs of learners, and will also have a hand in maintaining learner records, contributing to schemes of work and developing learning resources in line with the awarding bodies, amongst other duties.

Essential to the Role

• A Teaching qualification (minimum Cert Ed/DTLLS)

• Compliance with continuing professional development requirements

• GCSE/ A Level equivalent in English

• Experience of marking and moderation

• Experience of planning and teaching GCSE English

• Experience of delivering Functional Skills English Entry Level up to Level 2

If you are interested in one of these positions please forward a copy of your CV and cover letter clearly stating the role in which you are applying to [email protected]


jobs

PROGRAMME MANAGER FOR ENGLISH AND MATHS Salary: Up to £40,000 OTE Hours: 9.00am – 6.00pm (Including occasional evenings and weekends) Holiday: 20 – 25 days + Bank holidaysThe programme manager position is suitable for an enthusiastic and motivated individual who is committed to supporting both staff and learners in achieving success throughout the study programme and maintaining LCBT’s high standards.

They will be responsible for overseeing a small dynamic team which includes 2 full time tutors and a fixed term part time tutor during certain periods.

This role also involves spearheading the learning and development of approximately 300-400 learners studying English and Maths as part of their study programme, by ensuring the planning, resources and delivery meets the learners’ individual needs.

The position is one that plays a crucial role in the college and Education and Training Department, with the potential for growing the department. The right candidate has the opportunity to grow within the organisation and further their career development into management.

Essential to the Role:

• A Teaching qualification (minimum Cert Ed/DTLLS)• Vocationally competent in English and/or Maths up to A Level (inc. GCSE grades A-C in both English and Maths)• Experience in delivering GCSE’s• Experience in marking, assessing and moderation of GCSE and Functional Skills• Experience in designing SOW, sessions templates, programme delivery and Awarding Organisation requirements

and standards• A proven personal track record of high retention (85+) and achievement• A proven track record of delivering ‘good’ sessions and developing/mentoring peers/staff in their

teaching ability

• A proven track record of continuous professional development

If you are interested in the position please forward a copy of your CV and cover letter clearly stating the role in which you are applying to [email protected]


jobs

The ability to teach both GCSE & Functional Skills is preferred. NQTs, recent graduates and experienced teachers are all welcome to apply.

For more information and to apply online visitwww.accross.ac.uk/jobs Closing date: 24th June 2016Interviews w/c 27th June 2016

We are recruiting!

Lecturer Assessor English1.0 FTE, 35 hours per week

Lecturer Assessor Maths3 posts1.0 FTE, 35 hours per week

Accrington and Rossendale (AccRoss) College exists to provide high quality education and training to the widest range of local people.

Opportunity: Functional Skills TutorWe are one of the East Midland’s most trusted training and skills development providers, and one of the top 200 Skills Funding Agency providers in the UK.

As the landscape of training and skills development continues to change, we are strengthening our talented delivery team.

We offer a competative salary and enhanced benefits.

For more information and to apply (quote FE) visit:

http://www.ctskills.co.uk/working-for-us/

We are commited to being an equal opportunities

employer.

0115 9599544 [email protected] www.ctskills.co.uk

Based at our Nottingham or Derby Centres, with some travel to other sites within the East Midlands, you will be teaching and assessing Functional English/Maths skills up to Level 2, you will motivate and inspire learners with varying levels of abilities and ages to progress into further training and/or employment.

We are keen to hear from individuals who put the learner at the heart of everything they do. You will have a level 3 equivalent in Functional Skills Maths and/or English and a level 4 teaching qualification (or be willing to work towards).

www.northamptoncollege.ac.uk

English & Maths Teachers Ref: ME15160075

We are looking for dynamic Maths & English Teachers to join our growing team.Can you teach English and/or Maths?Can you teach some or all of the following levels?Functional Skills Entry Level to Level 2 or GCSE or A levelAre you interested in teaching students aged 16 - 19 and/or adult students?If yes we would like to hear from you.We have a range of Part-time and Full-time roles available.Please indicate clearly on your application within your supporting statement which subjects, levels and student age group that you would like to be considered for.We welcome applications from qualifi ed teachers and also non-qualifi ed teachers who are willing to work towards obtaining a teaching qualifi cation.If you would like to be part of a successful team please apply via our on-line application form; www.northamptoncollege.ac.uk clearly outlining your experience, skills and qualifi cations.Closing date: (12.00 Noon) 23 June 2016.Interviews for shortlisted applicants will be held on 1 July 2016.Job share may be considered for this post.This post will require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

We strive to achieve diversity in our staff to refl ect the community we serve.

These roles will fill fast so don’t miss out - call our International Team today!

0115 911 1222or email [email protected]

Teaching Opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in some of the most beautiful cities in the world!

If that doesn’t sound appealing already, how about these fantastic benefits?

Opportunity of a life time!

Refer a friend and receive a

£20 Amazon voucher**Ts & Cs apply

Opportunities available in…Mechanical l Civil & Electrical Engineering l Construction l NDT l Welding

Health & Safety l Business l Maths l Physics l IT l ESL

• Competitive tax free salary

• 1 year contract

• Top notch fully furnished accommodation in a sought after location

• Flights and travel to and from college included

• 30 days holiday plus 11 ‘bank holidays’

• End of contract bonus (circa 2 weeks salary – tax free of course!)

• Free healthcare

• Potential contract renewal with salary increase


Spot five differences. First correct entry wins an FE Week mug. Email your name and picture of your completed spot the difference to: [email protected]. Last Edition’s winner was Catherine Storey, HE Academic Administrative Assistant, New College Durham.

Difficulty:

MEDIUM

Difficulty:

EASY

FE Week Sudoku challenge

Solutions: Next edition

3 8 9 7 5 6 2 1 4 1 7 4 9 8 2 5 3 6 5 6 2 4 3 1 9 7 8 2 5 6 8 1 7 3 4 9 4 9 3 6 2 5 1 8 7 8 1 7 3 9 4 6 2 5 6 2 8 5 7 3 4 9 1 7 3 5 1 4 9 8 6 2 9 4 1 2 6 8 7 5 3

3 1 9 7 2 5 8 6 4 8 2 4 9 6 1 7 5 3 5 7 6 8 4 3 2 1 9 6 4 3 1 9 2 5 7 8 9 5 1 3 8 7 6 4 2 2 8 7 6 5 4 3 9 1 7 6 2 4 3 9 1 8 5 4 3 8 5 1 6 9 2 7 1 9 5 2 7 8 4 3 6

Difficulty:

MEDIUM

Last Week’s solutions

Difficulty:

EASY

How to play: Fill in all blank squares making sure that each row, column and 3 by 3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9

Spot the difference to WIN an FE Week mug

7 2 2 5 4 7 6 1 3 6 3 7 5 8 2 9 6 3 7 6 8 4 1 9 1 2

9 6 7 8 3 1 9 6 7 3 1 9 3 1 5 2 5 4 7 5 8 6 4 8 2 3 7

Take a look today ocr.org.uk/cambridgetechnicals

RIGHT CHOICE,RIGHT SUPPORT

• Nine engaging and industry-leading subjects

• From 180 GLH to 1080 GLH and everything in between

• Included on the KS5 performance tables for reporting in 2018

• Recognised for UCAS Tariff points

• Clear progression to further education or work

• Comprehensive range of free teaching resources

• Face-to-face and live online training events ready to book now

Prepare, plan and deliver with confidence and ease.

Cambridge Technicals are your real alternative to BTEC

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